Strange
by BlackRoseDragonCK
Summary: One-Shot. "You're getting a new babysitter today". Namine stared at Larxene in surprise. It wasn't every day she met someone new in this bleak, mundane castle. Just what would this Organization member be like? Set right before KH COM. Hand-drawn cover included.


**I DO NOT OWN KINGDOM HEARTS BY TETSUYA NOMURA**

**Hi there :)! This is a one-shot that takes place at the very beginning of Castle Oblivion before Sora arrives. It's a new twist on Axel and Namine's meeting as well as foreshadowing for the scene "The Only One Who Can Save Him" in KH ReCom. **

**X**

"You're getting a new babysitter today."

Namine's head jerked up from her sketchbook in surprise at the unanticipated statement.

It was morning in this grotesque void of a world, oddly-colored light streaming in through the long, narrow windows. The room seemed a little brighter than it actually was due to its monotonous color scheme. White floors…white walls…tall, white ceilings held up by white pillars….white vases…white flowers…and her little white sundress.

This place was always the same. Every hour of every day, the young memory witch sat in her usual tiny chair and drew pictures. Every day…stuck in the same bleak room. It was enough to drive one to the brink of sanity.

The only glimmer of change Namine had…was the crystal ball seated in the center of her prison. Whenever her so-called "babysitters", the members of Organization XIII, needed to check up on things happening in other places…they would gaze into that glittering sphere. Within its silvery depths, Namine glimpsed things…people…places that were for once, NOT the same. The girl couldn't bear, however, to glimpse the object when it was not in use. For then…it mirrored her own image….pale blonde hair…ivory skin…frightened blue eyes…tiny figure…and she was reminded once again that things were still the same as they had always been.

At the moment, the crystal ball was shadowed in its dormant state…but that didn't matter to her. She stared at her captor, Larxene, in shock. What the woman had just told her…was certainly not the same, routine order she heard every day.

Larxene was sitting on a small, pallid sofa against a wall several yards away from Namine. Her black-clad legs were crossed in a casual position. Her bright, antennae-like locks almost seemed to twitch with irritation. The woman sighed obnoxiously, leaning her electric blonde head back in an obvious display of boredom. It seemed that she was not nearly as impressed by the news she'd just imparted as the blonde-haired girl was.

Another babysitter… Ever since Namine had arrived at Castle Oblivion, she had been watched by the same people. Those included Marluxia, the Castle Lord, Larxene, and occasionally the three underground members, Vexen, Lexeaus, and Zexion. The fortress was vast, so Namine had no doubt that more Nobodies could be living within it…but she was still stunned to find out that hunch's truth. Perhaps today…would not be another boring, generic, usual day…

Namine peeked at Larxene from beneath her golden bangs. "S..someone else?" she asked, her rarely-heard voice barely audible.

Larxene cracked a single eye open. Her brows arched in annoyance. "Isn't that what I just said?"

Namine swallowed hard and quickly averted her azure eyes again. The Savage Nymph was a capricious, temperamental Nobody to say the very least. The girl would be glad to have someone else to lessen the time she spent with Number XII.

The two sat in silence for awhile longer. Namine found that she was actually somewhat eager about the prospect of meeting someone new. What would this person be like? The girl wasn't really crazy about any of the members of Organization so far…but maybe this one would be different…

The two females sat in silence for a long time. Biting her lip, Namine continued scribbling on her sketchbook, her crayons making faint scratching noises in the unnerving quiet. This was how it usually was with Larxene. If Number XII was not eternally complaining she was sulking in silence, impatient for her "babysitting shift" to be over. As a consequence, the memory witch had plenty of time to focus on her drawings.

Currently, she was coloring in a sketch she'd drawn some time ago of the Organization members who resided in Castle Oblivion. So far, she had drawn Marluxia, Larxene, Vexen, Lexaeus, and Zexion. Namine had thought herself finished at the time…but now she had one more individual to add to her odd "family tree".

An hour passed in the same contemplative tranquility. By then, the girl was nearly finished shading in the shadowy cloaks and diverse hairstyles of the Nobodies. Finally, Larxene gave a loud harrumph and leapt off the sofa to her feet. Namine nearly fell out of her chair, startled by the sharp movement. She stared with wide eyes at the Savage Nymph.

Larxene gave her a sour look before sidling over to the large set of white double doors leading out into the hallway. Namine had rarely gone through those doors, nor had she often seen her captors utilize them. Usually, the ebony-cloaked Nobodies summoned Corridors of Darkness to travel about the monumental citadel. The shadowed pathways allowed them to teleport more or less instantly. If only she knew how, Namine herself could use the Corridors…but she had never been left alone long enough to practice summoning darkness. She was always locked away in this room…in her mind. She was a prisoner in every sense of the word.

The girl frowned in confusion at Larxene. Without so much as a "farewell", the woman pulled open one of the large doors and slipped out into the hall. Before the door slammed shut, Namine thought she heard voices beyond it. She bit her lip, not sure what to do. She knew better than to get up and wander around. If Larxene came back in, she would go ballistic. Instead, the girl shut the cover of her sketchbook. She closed her eyes…and imagined what her new "babysitter" would be like. Would they be male or female? Young or old? Smart or stupid? Agreeable…or cruel? She had no idea…and the anticipation was making her stir-crazy.

After what seemed like an eternity of waiting, the creaking sound of doors opening made Namine jerk in surprise. She started to look up…but found she was almost afraid to do so. What if it was Larxene again…or worse…Marluxia? The doors clicked shut. Whoever had entered was inside now. Namine shook her head. She was being silly. She took a deep breath…and lifted her face.

It was a man who had come into the room…but not Marluxia nor any of the underground members. This youth seemed to be in his early twenties. He was tall with a thin, lanky form dressed in the trademark Organization XIII coat. He had a striking mane of spiked, ruby red hair that ran down his shoulders. One look at those locks told Namine that his element was fire. The young man's eyes were piercing as well. They were an acid green, seeming rather catlike. Beneath each eye were dark purple reverse teardrop markings. They gave him an intriguing…and dangerous look.

The stranger placed his hands on his hips and looked around the room. His piercing eyes took in every detail of the stark white space…until they finally landed on Namine. Namine froze in the path of his gaze. She wasn't really sure why. He didn't scare her…at least…not yet.

The man grinned in Namine's direction. The look nearly made her flinch. It wasn't like Marluxia's grin…deliberate and malicious…nor Larxene's grin…savage and mocking. It was lopsided, like a smirk…teasing…yet enigmatic…as if he were five steps of everyone else. It reminded her rather of the Cheshire Cat she'd seen once reflected in the crystal ball.

"Hey there, Namine," he greeted, cocky grin widening. His voice was charismatic and slightly gravelly.

Namine couldn't help but shrink back. She wasn't used to being acknowledged in a way that wasn't negative or commanding. It took her a moment to find her voice.

"Uh…um…hi," she finally murmured lamely. She thought for a moment, desperately searching for something else to break the awkward pause…but he saved her the trouble.

"I'll make this intro short and sweet," the man said. "My name's Axel. I'm Number VIII in the Organization, a wielder of fire, the Flurry of Dancing Flames, etcetera, etcetera. I'll be your babysitter this afternoon. Got it memorized?" he tapped his temple with a gloved finger, emphasizing his point.

Namine blinked in confusion, struggling to process the information. "Y…yeah." That wasn't exactly her idea of a short introduction.

Axel nodded in satisfaction. "Good. Don't forget it," he commanded with a playful grin. He then turned and waltzed over to the sofa. He unceremoniously flopped down onto it. A zapping sound crackled through the air and he jumped, yelping in pain and shock.

Namine gasped in surprise. Axel glanced at the cushioned back of the couch, frowning. "Was Larxene sitting here before I arrived?"

"Um…yes..." the girl replied, perplexed.

He rolled his eyes. "I figured…the couch is full of static electricity. It shocked me when I sat down."

So THAT was the source of the zapping noise. The girl couldn't help it. She burst into a quiet fit of giggles…and felt her entire form freeze in horror upon doing so. That could have been a deadly mistake. She never dared to laugh at Larxene's fumbles, lest she be subject to a verbal tirade or physical pummeling. Namine instantly dropped her head in fear. She dared a quick peek upward through her golden bangs…and was surprised to see her captor unfazed by the reaction at his expense.

Rather than glaring daggers at his prisoner…Axel had lain back on the couch. One arm was folded behind his head, the other lying across his abdomen. His green eyes were closed. Only the drumming of his fingers over his stomach told Namine he was awake. Perhaps he hadn't heard her laughter…

Namine breathed a soft sigh of relief. She had probably just dodged a big and fiery bullet. She sat up straight and opened her sketchbook to the page with the Castle Oblivion Members. She glanced sideways at Axel. The girl wasn't sure what to make of him yet. So far, he had been witty, smooth and mysterious. She couldn't tell what his mood was nor could she ascertain what he was thinking.

Shrugging, Namine reached into the cloth case built into the cover of her sketchbook and pulled out a plain drawing pencil. She started to scribble a rough sketch of Axel's form. She made his body long and lanky, his hair spiked and free-flowing. In the process of scribbling those wickedly sharp spikes, however…the tip of her pencil snapped. The sound, faint under normal circumstances, was like a canon going off in the hushed room.

Namine grimaced. She peered upward again, expecting to see the flash of acidic eyes glaring suspiciously at her. She was surprised to find Axel still lying on the couch, eyes peacefully shut, one leg drawn up above the other. It was obvious from the slightly tensed posture of his nimble body that Number VIII could leap up in the blink of an eye to prevent her from escaping…but other than that, he seemed truly not to care what she did. No sharp movement the girl made set him on alert. No scratching of her pencils bothered him. Axel seemed perfectly laid-back. Yet somehow…Namine could not bring herself to relax around him. Perhaps it was because he was new to her…

Time passed…and with each minute, the girl felt her uncertainties rise to astronomical heights. Neither Nobody in the room spoke a word. However…Namine would occasionally glance up and see those striking green eyes fixed on her. They studied her, seeming to evaluate everything about her existence…or lack thereof. Those peridot eyes…sparkling playfully…and snapping with intelligence and craftiness…they unsettled her to say the very least.

Namine blinked rapidly, quickly averting her face from that unnerving gaze. She bit her lip and tried to focus on shading in mauve color of Marluxia's feathery hair. Pale skin…forget-me-not blue eyes…perfectly-styled hair…no one would ever guess that Organization XIII's elegant Number XI was capable of such horrid deeds. Those cold, cruel eyes…that smooth, malicious voice…everything about the man terrified Namine. She could scarcely move when he loomed over her, giving her instructions that she dared not disobey…threatening that if she did not do her job…she would be locked in this dismal castle forever.

"Whatcha drawing over there?"

Namine nearly leapt out of her chair at the unexpected sound of Axel's voice. Her head snapped up. The redhead had shifted to an upright position with his arms trailing over the back of the couch. He looked casual…but curious with his head tilted slightly, catlike eyes glinting.

"Um…" Namine squeaked out, not sure what she should say. She didn't want to say she had been drawing him before she finished coloring in the other people in her sketch.

The girl finally replied, "The…Castle Oblivion members."

Axel's eyes wandered to her hands. They stayed there for a moment before traveling back to her face. "Marluxia?"

Namine froze. Her blue eyes went wide. How on earth did he know that? Did the Organization have some sort of surveillance equipment in this room of which she was not aware? The girl looked down at her paper…and saw the crayon clutched between her pale fingers. It was bright pink. There was only one pink thing in this entire castle…Marluxia's hair.

The shock at her captor's perceptiveness must have shown on her face because Axel threw his head back, laughing. His incisors glinted like fangs as he grinned. The odd markings on his sharp features looked rather like daggers. His hair shone brightly against the colorless wall, seeming more and more like a live flame.

"That's right," he smirked wickedly. "Nothing gets past me. Get that memorized good and fast."

The redhead held her gaze a moment longer before resuming watching the backs of his eyelids. Namine could only stare at him in stunned silence. Axel was so…so…she couldn't even think of a word to describe him. He was unlike any other Nobody she'd ever met. He was so different…so…

The girl shook her head, trying to push away the anxious thoughts. She really needed to stand up and pace so that her mind would calm down. Hesitantly, Namine got to her feet. Her legs felt numb from sitting for so long. She placed her sketchbook on the chair and took a small step forward.

Axel cracked an eye open. He arched a single brow in her direction, but said nothing. Namine wrung her fingers nervously.

"May I…stretch my legs for a moment?" she asked timidly.

He shrugged and closed his eyes again. "Sure, whatever."

Namine faltered. She wasn't sure, from that vague answer, if Axel was giving her permission or not. He did sound reasonably nonchalant….maybe it was okay…

Clutching the hem of her white sundress, Namine took a few steps forward. Her blue sandals clicked on the cold marble floor. She glanced at Axel to see if he was watching her. He still looked perfectly unperturbed. The girl let out a breath and started to pace.

She made her way over to the corner of the chamber nearest her chair. There was nothing particularly interesting over there. So, she wandered to the crystal ball in the room's center. The object was elegantly-crafted with a marble base that curled inward, etched with intricate designs. The sphere itself was like a large, silver marble, sparkling in the bright lighting…but otherwise uninteresting. Namine sighed. There was really only one out of the ordinary thing in this room…and he was sitting on the sofa.

The golden-haired girl bit her lip. She knew it was a bad idea…but he seemed to be oblivious…and she was SO bored… She needed to get a better look at Axel so that she could accurately finish her sketch. Squaring her shoulders in resolve, Namine took a deep breath…and started to tiptoe toward the sofa. She placed her feet down slowly and deliberately on the hard floor, careful not to make a sound. The redheaded man remained perfectly still, arms crossed behind his head. His eyes remained closed…he didn't seem to realize she was there.

After what seemed like a painstaking eternity, Namine finally reached the arm of the couch. She rested her delicate fingers on it…and studied the relaxing Nobody. Axel's face was tranquil and contented. He looked rather like a dozing cat, drowsy…yet not fully asleep. His breathing was slow…but his booted foot tapped a steady rhythm on the floor.

Namine hardly dared to breathe as she surveyed him. His face was slightly angular and looked even more catlike up close. It also seemed that the symbols beneath his eyes weren't drawn…but imbedded. They were either simple tattoos made with ink and needle…or…something far more complicated he received upon becoming a Nobody.

Nodding, the girl let out a small breath. Right as she was about to turn and walk back to her chair…Axel's eyes snapped open. Cool emerald gems locked with stunned orbs of sapphire. Namine froze. She had been caught. She didn't know what to do.

Axel bent his chin slightly. He raised his brows at her. "It's rude to stare," he said, his features smooth and impassive.

Finally, Namine's brain kicked back into gear. Color rushed to her face. She turned her back to him quickly, body trembling with fear and humiliation.

"I…I…I'm sorry!" she stuttered frantically. She hugged her chest, crossing her wrists one over the other. This was her defensive posture that she unconsciously took whenever she was afraid. The girl was almost always in this position when Marluxia was present.

When her panic subsided, Namine sighed. "I'm sorry…" she repeated, closing her eyes. "I just…don't get a lot of new people in this unchanging place…" She swallowed and took a few steps away from the couch, her back still facing it.

"….If you hate it here so much, then why don't you leave?" Axel asked from behind her.

Namine halted abruptly. Her eyes widened in shock at his question. She glanced over her shoulder to see that Number VIII had hardly even moved from his previous position. He now had only one hand supporting his head, the other picking a piece of dust from the inky folds of his cloak. His face was indifferent, as if he had asked her a question as dull and simple as what the weather was like.

The girl turned her head back toward the little chair in the corner. Her frown grew bitter. He must be making fun of her. Well…she would answer him, in any case.

"I CAN'T leave," Namine mumbled, letting the sullenness give her soft voice a distinct edge. "Marluxia is keeping me locked up here until I complete my job in his plan for the Keyblade Master. If I don't, he'll make sure I stay alone in this castle forever. I have no choice. I'm SURE you already know that."

She was surprised by the bite in her own words…but she didn't take them back. If these people were going to taunt her as well as imprison her…she was going to tell them what she really thought.

Namine began to walk again…but hesitated when Axel emitted a low chuckle. Her eyes narrowed. She opened her mouth, ready to turn and snap at him…but stopped dead in her tracks when a familiar hiss reached her ears. It was the sound that the Organization members made whenever they warped quickly from one position in the room to another…

A looming presence materialized behind Namine. Before she had a chance to whirl around, gloved hands seized her frail shoulders, holding her in place. The girl's breath caught in her throat. She felt a startled yelp caught in the back of her throat…but was too paralyzed to make a peep.

Axel leaned closer to her. She could feel the heat of the fire within him wafting from his thin frame…could smell ash mixed with the familiar scents of darkness and nothingness. It was a unique, unfamiliar mixture, so…so…

Axel pressed nearer to whisper into her ear, "You don't have a choice? Is that really true…?"

The girl didn't move. She felt him smirk against her honey-colored hair.

"Oh…I think you'll find that you have a lot of choices in this upcoming plan of Marluxia's. But for now…you're content being his obedient little doll."

Namine swallowed painfully. Her entire body felt numb. She peered out of her peripheral vision, catching glimpses of blood red, shadow black, and acid green. "What…what do you mean…?"

A flash of white joined the crimson, black, and emerald. Namine was already familiar enough with this man to know what that was…his vampiric grin.

"You'll see when the time comes…when you're the only one who can save him," Axel replied cryptically. His grip tightened on her shoulders. "Maybe then…you'll realize that the only one standing in your way…is you."

Namine didn't answer. She felt like a living statue. Number VIII kept his grip on her for a few moments before finally letting go. She didn't turn but felt him retreating backward.

"Well…" Axel began. "It looks like my afternoon shift's come to an end. If I were you…I would do some hard thinking about what I said. Got it memorized, Princess?"

Axel gave another devilish chuckle. Namine heard the soft whirring of a Corridor of Darkness opening. Footsteps strolled into it. The portal then closed…and vanished, along with the biting smell of smoke.

Namine stood motionless, feeling more than a little flabbergasted. What on earth was he talking about? Axel couldn't be an enemy of Marluxia. In fact…he was working with him. He had to be. Otherwise, he could have simply let her go. He had the chance to do exactly that when Larxene left…yet he had not.

Finally, Namine remembered to breathe. She gasped, chest heaving, and hurried back over to her chair. The uncomfortable piece of tiny furniture was, for once, a welcome mundane detail. This day…had been anything but mundane. Axel…had been anything but "the same thing as always". He was so…oh, what was the word?

Another shadowy cloud blossomed over the marble floor. A man stepped out of it and Namine jumped, fearing it was Number VIII again. Her worries proved unnecessary. It was Zexion who appeared in the room, Number VI in the Organization. Apparently he had gotten the night shift of "babysitting duty".

Zexion was one of the more agreeable of Namine's captors. He was young, in his late teens or early twenties. His hair was gunmetal grey and messy, hanging over and concealing half of his face. The one eye that was visible was a silvery blue…and colder than the sterile walls of the castle. Everything about Zexion was cold…but at least he was quiet, like his prisoner. During his shifts, he stayed silently seated on the sofa, nose buried in a thick book.

Number VI frowned at Namine's jumpiness. He studied her face with suspicion. Apparently, the queer nature of her previous visit was visible on her pale features. However, Zexion said nothing. Instead, he closed his eyes…and breathed deeply. Immediately upon doing so, his lips twisted into a scowl and his eyes snapped open.

"So…" Zexion murmured, his voice soft and laced with a quiet intelligence. "…Axel has been here?"

Namine nearly jumped again, but stopped herself. She always forgot that Zexion had a staggering talent for recognizing scents. The girl swallowed and nodded slowly.

Number VI grunted. He wandered over to his usual perch on the sofa, Lexicon in hand. "He is a strange one, is he not?"

Namine's breath caught. That was it…the word she had been searching for! She looked down at her sketch…at the drawing of Axel, still in simple black and white. Compared to the other members, whom she had colored in their respective shades, he looked different…he looked out of place…he looked…

"Strange…" the Nobody Princess murmured, her voice audible only to herself. "New…and strange…"

Namine sighed quietly, eyes fluttering closed. She now had a word to describe every member of Castle Oblivion. Marluxia, the Graceful Assassin, was domineering. Larxene, the Savage Nymph, was cruel. Vexen, the Chilly Academic, was icy. Lexaeus, the Silent Hero, was stalwart. Zexion, the Cloaked Scheme, was distant.

Axel…the Flurry of Dancing Flames…was strange.

X

**This ended up turning out differently than I thought it would XD. I always loved Lexaeus's line in KH ReCom, "And then there is Axel, Who knows what that one is thinking" haha. I hope you liked and please review :)! Please no flames.**

**I DO NOT OWN KINGDOM HEARTS**


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